Sunny Love
by WiseAvenger
Summary: Hinata and two other ninjas are ordered to go to Suna on a mission. However, they were attacked on the way and only Hinata survived. She was taken to Suna, quite unharmed. But there's only one tiny catch: she forgot all of her memories. GaaHina
1. Chapter 1

Hinata, heir of the Hyuuga clan, walked with a moderate pace as she and her two companions, Sunako and Ayaka, traversed the hot desert which led to the Hidden Village of Suna. They were sent to act as ambassadors, representing their village in a sort of ninja conference. Shikamaru was usually the one to do this job but he was quite busy with a mission that Tsunade was forced to pick another ambassador. The most likely candidate was Hinata, since she belonged to one of the most powerful clans in Konoha and was the heir to the clan. So here she was, picking her way among the sand dunes of Suna.

The three of them were wrapped in shawls to keep the sand from stinging their faces. However, their eyesight was not very accurate in this type of clothing. Hinata, being the kind-hearted person that she was, offered to use her Byakugan, the Hyuuga's powerful bloodline technique, to watch out for enemies until they reach their destination. The two happily consented, both of them fearing the possibility of being ambushed. The Hyuuga too was delighted with the idea, knowing that she could contribute more to their mission. It also calmed her poor, nervous heart. She was quite afraid of going to an unknown village with two shinobis she barely knew. Although both Ayaka and Sunako had good credits, she could not help but feel dreadful about the whole mission. What irritated her most was that she didn't know why she felt that way.

The angry, hot sun was beating on their backs that the three felt faint even after only an hour of walking through the sandy desert. Their water supply was also running low. Hinata could feel the sweat trickling down her forehead and back. Her eyes too were beginning to feel the glare of the afternoon sun. Sunako, being the appointed leader of the group, decided that they would stop by the nearest oasis, if they ever saw one.

"However," She said in the most commanding voice. "I'll only give you a few minutes to rest and refill your canteens with water. After that, we'll have to leave. Bandits might see us and take the chance to ambush us because of this..." She lifted her cloak a little and showed the two girls a pouch of gold coins the Godaime gave her. "This money is to be used in the conference. All villages are required to bring it as a sign of loyalty. Without it, the other leaders might think that Konoha is fickle." She concealed the pouch again. "The bandits might know something about it, too. Let's be more careful. They could be anywhere, waiting for the most likely victims."

There was a slight tone of fear in the girl's voice but she shrugged it all off a little later on. Hinata cringed at the mention of the _most likely victims_. It seemed to her that the most likely victims were the three of them.

"Well, let's get going, girls." Sunako finally said, her eyes shining with determination. "We have to get to Suna before the sun sets."

"Sunako-san," Hinata squeaked. "I... I see an... Oasis. It's about a... a mile away... No one seems to be a-around. There are lots of... Coconuts and bushes with... Berries, I think... And a big pool of wa-water..."

"That's good to hear, Hinata-kun. Good job." The tall brunette said, smiling at the girl and patting her head. "I guess there's more reason now to go faster, huh? Let's go."

The three of them started walking again through the sand, hearts light with joy and hope. They had been quite thirsty for a spell. Fresh water sounded like a good idea. Even berries from desert bushes sounded like a good idea.

A few more minutes later, the three of them arrived at the oasis. It was just as Hinata described it to be: a complete paradise for weary travelers. A huge pool of cool, fresh water was situated in the middle of the oasis. Around it, on a circle, stood the tallest coconuts they had ever seen with large, shady branches and round, plump fruits. Behind the coconut trees, on the edge of the oasis, there grew date trees with delicious-looking fruits. There were also the desert bushes with tiny, red fruits that looked like berries. Everything was mouth-watering and just fantastic that the three girls just stood where they were, mouths gaping open. Ayaka, the blond shinobi, was the first to speak.

"Beautiful." She said, in awe. "I haven't laid eyes on a desert paradise yet. I can't believe I'm looking at it right now." She gathered up all of her belongings and spread a cloth beside the water's bank. She then sat down on the cloth and refilled her canteen. The two girls followed suit. All the while, Ayaka was looking around her. "So the stories are true..."

Sunako looked at her, quite puzzled. "What stories?"

"Well..." Ayaka finished refilling her canteen and now lay down on the cloth. "Some old men say that desert paradises like these do exist but sometimes they can be dangerous. Did you notice that this oasis isn't touched at all? Like no one's been here before? Just look at the coconuts. They're almost ready to burst but they're still up there, untouched. Basically, no one has tried to get them."

"Maybe they're booby trapped." Sunako suggested as she washed her sand-streaked hair. "Or maybe they just don't see this place."

"Probably." The other nodded. "But don't you think that they might be avoiding this on purpose?"

"Hmm... That's a likely answer. I wonder why they would do that?"

"Sometimes," Ayaka told the two in a murmur. "Paradise can be hell in disguise." Then she smiled, seeing the horror on her companions' faces. "Don't worry. That's _sometimes_ and not _always_."

Hinata shivered in spite of the heat. The very thought of that oasis being a trap for the three of them scared her. She wondered how her teammates could feel so calm about the place when she felt so weird. Something was not right, she was sure of it.

"Hey, Hinata-kun!" Sunako said, shaking her shoulder. "You don't have to look so smug all day! We're on a nice place and it's all thanks to you. You ought to congratulate yourself, Hinata. That's very nice work for one so young as you. Now, get yourself comfortable there and we'll rest. There you go, place that cloth over there and lie down. Yes, yes, that's it. Now just sleep for a while."

"A-aren't we in a hu-hurry?" She asked innocently. "Sh-shouldn't we be go-going now? We've spent so much ti-time on this oasis already."

The two girls laughed. Sunako smiled at her. "Hinata-kun, are you really that intent on wrapping this mission up quickly? Come on, we have to have some fun! We're already here so why not enjoy?"

"Bu-but... The mission always comes first."

"No more but's, Hinata." The brunette insisted. "We'll go when we're ready. After all, we can always go faster if we choose to, right? So it's perfectly alright. After all, the Godaime won't know unless someone tells her, right?" She grinned slyly at the Hyuuga. "Anyway, let's just make the most of our stay here..."

Ayaka and Sunako began a lively tete-a-tete about their private lives. Hinata took no notice of the two. Her heart was beating faster than ever before. Something was totally not right about the whole thing. The coconuts. The dates. The berries. The water. The oasis. Everything. It all seemed out of place. She longed to see an end to the misery she felt right now, the wrongness. But her mind was too tired, her chakra too depleted, to think about anything. Her sight darkened gradually and, soon, she fell into a deep, untroubled sleep.

- - - - -

Hinata was awakened by the sounds of stifled gasps. Slowly, her eyes shot open. It was already nighttime. She had slept for at least five to six hours. The moon was directly above her, shining its beautiful luminescence on her frail figure. The shadows were already playing on the deep pool of fresh water. A strong gust of wind blew, bringing a flurry of sand grains with it, stinging her eyes. She closed them for a time and, as she opened them again, she saw the shadows of ten men in front of her. They held two squirming girls she knew quite well: Ayaka and Sunako. She gasped and soon felt a hand clamped on her mouth. With a little bit of struggle, she bit the hand and stepped back a few paces, easing onto her clan's infamous position. A thousand thoughts screamed on her mind. She had been right about the place. The wrongness she felt was absolute. It was a Genjutsu. She had known it even before they reached the place. She knew now why so many ninjas avoided it. The chakra that was used in the technique could be felt even from a distance. That, perhaps, was the only catch in the technique. But she should have told Sunako long ago. She cursed herself for not having the courage to speak up. Now, the lives of her comrades were in her unsteady hands.

With both tears and grains of sand stinging her eyes, she performed the needed hand seals. A large amount of chakra flowed out from her, enveloping her into a haze of blue-green silk-like stuff. A few moments later, she uttered the name of her jutsu and attacked the ten bandits, going all-out in every strike. Soon, all ten of them were down and out. She heaved a sigh of relief, satisfied with her work. Her whole frame flopped down on the sand, tired and out of chakra. The sleep she had was not enough to regain all her chakra.

After a few minutes of sitting there and panting, Hinata stood up, eager to look for her comrades. Her eyes widened in horror. She was too late. There, on the sand, lay the two mangled bodies of her teammates, obviously murdered. Blood was splattered on the sand and even flowed on the water, making it dirty and unfit for drinking. She slumped down on the ground again, all of her strength sucked out of her body. She was still too weak, too frail. Unfit for her position in the clan. She was a huge disgrace. In rage, she thumped the hard ground with her clenched fists, hot tears streaming down her face.

There was a sound behind her but Hinata did not notice it in her anger. A man, one of the bandits, stood behind her, holding a thick, wooden stick. With one fierce blow, he knocked the consciousness out of the Hyuuga. She fell on the sand, thick, crimson blood spilling out of the newly-opened wound. He ran to the side of the brunette ninja and took out from her cloak a small pouch of gold coins, the cost of thirteen lives...

- - - - -


	2. Chapter 2

No, make that twelve.

- - - - -

The room was kind of dark, but the light from the moon shone one square. It was almost enough to light up the entire bedroom. A solitary figure lay on the hard bed: a girl with long black hair. Her eyes were shut tight, like in a splendid sleep. A bandage was drawn tightly above her eyebrows. It obscured an ugly wound on the back of her head that bled most considerably. Thankfully, the doctors and nurses were able to give it a stop and only a large, red spot marked its location. She was dressed in a white gown of what seemed like coarse material. A medical gown, to say the least. A heavy blanket was laid on top of the sleeping figure for the night was cold in those parts of the world. Slowly, the eyes of the girl opened, revealing milky white pupils. For a few seconds she scanned the ceiling, like she was searching for something.

_Where am I?_

She tried to stand up but the pain was too much for her. She had broken an arm in her fall, after all. She gingerly touched it and cringed with the pain.

_Where am I?_

An additional spasm of pain engulfed her, even more powerful than the pain on her right arm. Her eyes closed and when they opened again, they were brimming with tears. She clutched the wound where the stick had landed and out came the whisper of an ouch from her thin, pink lips. Knowing now where it hurt most, she proceeded to slowly lift the covers. She wanted to see what was beyond that dark bedroom, lit only by moonlight. Successfully, she somehow managed to fold the blanket without using her right arm. Then, wearing the slippers she found beneath the bed, the girl went out of the room and into the hallway.

A fresh wave of light greeted her. Her eyes were not accustomed to this kind of light. Automatically, she lifted her left arm to shield her stricken eyes. As if on cue, a male nurse came walking by, bringing a tray of precious bottles of medicines and herbs. He collided with her, in short. She gasped as soon as she heard the sound of breaking glass. The girl turned around innocently.

"So-sorry..." She whispered in a small voice, barely audible. "I didn't me-mean to u-upset you..."

He stood up, shaking his head and brushing the shards of glass from his uniform. "That's okay, miss."

The girl cocked her head to one side and looked at him. "Miss? Is... Is that my... My name?" She asked naively.

"Oh, no." He laughed. "It's a sign of respect to women. I guess you're the patient with oblivion they took in the other day, huh? It must be pretty hard on you to see and experience that. It's really horrible, isn't it? Well, you best get back to your room, miss." He said, smiling. "Before the doctors see you."

"Are the doctors scary people?"

"No-o." The male nurse pushed her into the room. "They just get upset when they don't find patients like you on their beds. You best get back there, miss. Good night."

He closed the door slowly. The girl went up to her bed and crawled back right in. She didn't understand what the nurse said and she spent the next hours mulling over it.

_What's oblivion?_ She asked herself. _And I have oblivion? Is that a disease? I wonder if it's contagious..._

With these thoughts in mind, the girl fell asleep again.

- - - - -

"How is she?" The Kazekage asked as the blinds were closed. "Is her wound healing quickly?"

"Aah..." The brown-haired doctor studied the papers in his hands. "Yes, Kazekage-sama, the patient is doing very well. She is actually healing faster than we thought."

Gaara sighed and looked outside the window, into the night. "That's good to hear..."

The night-air slipped through the thin, white curtains hanging on the rod of metal above the window, bringing with it a certain chill. The doctor shivered, quite eager to go out of the room, away from the prying eyes of the Kazekage. Like most of the villagers, he was still frightened of the child, even though they had been repeatedly given the assurance that the Ichibi was already out of the Kazekage's body. Gaara, on the other hand, stood stock-still where he was, scrutinizing his beloved Suna in the night. The two of them were in a small room, adjacent to Hinata's room. It was basically hidden from the patient's room and served as a sort of observing room for the doctors. Silence reigned supreme over the two of them. The doctor dared not disturb the Kazekage in his contemplations, lest he be yelled at.

Gaara broke the silence. "What about her memories?" He asked, facing the flushed, young doctor. "Are they coming back?"

"We-well..." He shuffled through the papers, nearly knocking them off his hands. "Not yet, Kazekage-sama, but they're bound to come back sometime soon."

"How soon?"

"Well... I..." The doctor shifted his position uneasily, sweating in spite of the cool night. He was not used to this kind of questioning. Moreover, it was the Kazekage who was questioning him. "We don't really know, sir. It depends on her brain's recovery. It could take a long, long time, though. She took quite a very hard bludgeoning..."

"Hmm... What's your estimated time of her recovery?"

"About two weeks at the least, sir..."

"Too long..." Gaara muttered to himself. "The conference will be done by then. She should be back home at that time with her memories all back..." He turned once more to the nervous doctor. "Is there anything you can do to speed up her recuperation?"

"We'll try our best, Kazekage-sama."

"I expect as much. You may leave."

Relieved, the doctor left the room. Gaara stood alone and stiff under the dim glow of the overhead light. He opened the blinds once more, slowly. The girl had still not moved. He sighed. Konoha should _not_ know about her amnesia. It would be embarassing. Her memories had to be back before two weeks' time. A thousand thoughts whirled through his mind. The Hyuuga clan would be enraged if she went home the way she was now, memories all gone. Naruto, too, would be angry. After all, she was one of his friends.

Gaara closed the blinds, eager to get a good night's sleep. He would think things through tomorrow.

- - - - -

As soon as the lights in the observation room closed, the figure on the bed stirred. Slowly, she sat up and stared at the blank wall where the hidden window was, Byakugan activated. She smiled in spite of the throbbing pain on the back of her head.

_I wonder who that guy is... He's quite cute._


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **Mah, _gomenasai_! So many things came up that delayed my writing this... Anyhow, enjoy this chapter and leave comments.

- - - - -

_But..._ Hinata thought to herself. _Wh-why am I seeing things this way?_

She scanned the whole room. She could see in a different way and color. She could actually see people from other rooms moving about. To her right was a hospital room very much like her own. An old lady was lying on the bed. There were three other people on the room, probably relatives. They were crowding around the bed, catering to the elderly lady's every need. They seemed to be having fun. Quite contrary to the room on her left: She could perceive an empty bed. The sheets were white and spotless, horribly clean. The room was not empty though. A woman was sitting on the floor, crying, while two attendants carried a stretcher with a body enshrouded in a white cloth on it. A dead person. Hinata cringed.

Her eyes moved slowly towards the door. Nurses and doctors were walking here and there, bringing trays of medical supplies like bandages, medicines, and ointments. They were talking nonchalantly. There were also chairs on the corridor. A man was sitting on one of them. His head was bowed. He seemed to be sleeping.

_Wh-what's wrong with my eyes?_

Hinata looked about her and saw a hand mirror. She made a grab for it and held it up to her face. At first, she saw nothing, but, when she concentrated a little bit more, she saw her face distinctly. She was chalk-white, including her lips. Her hair was tangled and seemed to be distraught. The bandage on her head was tied up really snugly. But what disturbed her was the sight of her eyes. All white they were, even the normally black pupils. What is more, large veins were perceivable around her eyes. She dropped the mirror.A faint cry of horror erupted from her lips and she burst into uncontrollable tears. She did not know what happened to her eyes. She did not know what she was doing. She did not even know how she did it. It just seemed to appear all by itself when she suddenly woke up. It was something like fantasy. Although, unlike other fantasies, this one was terrifyingly real. Unfortunately, another problem presented itself. She had no idea how to "turn it off", whatever it was. Trying to find out what it was was hard enough. Trying to find out how to turn it off was harder.

_Oh, what am I to do?_ She asked her lonesome self. _Is this a pu-punishment for something I did in the past? Oh..._

She had been crying for a full ten minutes when the door suddenly opened and a female nurse came in, bringing with her a tray of medicines. The nurse turned on the lights and smiled upon seeing the patient. Her heart went out to the young girl. She sat down on the bed and laid the tray aside to embrace her. Hinata was grateful for the older woman's presence that she let herself be rocked back and forth.

"What's wrong now, dear?" The nurse murmurred into the young girl's hair. "Come on, tell Nurse Saeki what's wrong and we'll try to fix it."

"I-it's just..." She began, her head bowed so that the nurse wouldn't see her eyes. "I-I don't know... I don't know wh-what to do... I'm so... So confused... I-it's just so hard..."

Saeki patted the girl's head. "Oh, I know how that feels. I felt just like that when I was your age. I didn't know what to do with my life! I was troubled. Everyone was pressuring me to do this, do that. I couldn't stand it and left our house! I decided to find my own way in the world even if it meant I was alone." Her tone was soothing as she said this. "So off I went to unknown lands, seeking my fortune! Finally, I met an old man that--"

"It's not that..." Hinata whispered. "I-it's something else..."

"Oh," The nurse smiled. "I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about finding your vocation. I get carried away sometimes... Well, if that's not it, what's wrong, dear?"

"I-it's..." She lifted her face up for the nurse to see. "I-it's my eyes..."

"Oh! Why, I never..." Saeki gasped. "Dear girl, what is that?"

Hinata burst into tears again, obscuring her face with her long hair. "I-I don't know!"

The nurse reagined her calm and began stroking the patient's hair. "Well, dear, I have no idea what that is too but I'm pretty sure it's nothing bad. Or the doctors would probably get upset over it. Now, stop your crying." She dabbed Hinata's eyes with her handkerchief. "You need to drink your medicine now so that you can get better again, alright?"

She nodded and Saeki proceeded to give her the prescribed medicine. There were about five tablets she had to take and they all tasted bitter, especially the last one. But she knew very well that they will definitely help her get better. So she drank them all with obedience. She longed to be outside, free from the stuffy room of the hospital. Once, that night, she had looked outside the circular window and saw the bright lights of the city shining below her third floor room. The view excited her dreadfully. She wanted to see what it was like down there, walking among the sand-constructed houses and meeting different people. She wanted to smell the air, feel the touch of the outside world, and hear the city's murmurs...

For a moment, Hinata was certain she saw a wooden house - different from those outside - standing in a grassy plot of land. It was quite large and there seemed to be many people inside it, but two of them were outside the gate, beckoning to her to come to them. One was a small, scrawny girl with long hair. The other was a tall man in a gray _hakama_. Both of them looked worried, as if they were searching for something. They had eyes like hers, white with no black in them.

However, it lasted only for a small flicker of time.

Nurse Saeki chanced to glance at her as she re-arranged the bottles on the tray. She smiled, her arms akimbo. "Well, what do you know? Your eyes are back to normal. Or are they?"

"Ma-may I see?" Hinata asked, quite nervous.

"Here." Saeki handed her the mirror she had dropped earlier. "See for yourself, dear."

The girl raised the mirror to her face and heaved a sigh of relief. Her eyes were back to normal. The veins were gone and left absolutely no mark. "Ye-yes... They're alright now."

The nurse looked at her, puzzled. "Are you sure? Your eyes don't look quite right to me. They're all white with no pupils. Are you sure you feel fine?"

"Yes... I'm better now. Th-thank you, Nurse Saeki."

"If you say so, dear girl. Well," She took the tray again and proceeded to leave. "Good night, dear. I'll turn off the lights on my way out so you'll have a nice sleep, okay?"

Hinata nodded underneath the blanket Saeki had given her. She was grateful for the woman's appearance. It seemed to put her mind at ease. The nurse's words soothed her soul also. A little while ago, she had been distraught but when Saeki came in, she felt much better. Her eyes were nice and warm. Her touch smooth. Just like a mother's.

_Like a mother's..._ She repeated to herself. _Yes, like a mother's..._

Suddenly, she remembered the little vision she had earlier. It greatly puzzled her. The house had been made of wood, not of sand. She sat up in bed and looked outside the circular window. No wooden houses were in sight. Actually, there was not even a patch of grass present anywhere. Certainly, one couldn't build a house of wood in sand. It would never stand! Such a feat was impossible. Even she knew that. So, if that house was not situated in that village, then where could it be? Outside the village walls? There didn't seem to be any grass out there too. Sand stretched all around for miles and miles, as far as the distant horizon. And the house's inhabitants. Their appearance struck her as odd, especially the eyes. They were very much like hers. Could it be that she had been looking at her family? If so, why wasn't she with them? Why was she in the hospital and not in the big, wooden house where her family was? Did they not like her? Did they disown her or something? But why were they beckoning to her with worried expressions in their faces? Everything about it confused her.

With a thousand more questions in her head, the poor girl fell asleep, dreaming of wooden houses and grassy plains.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hinata-kun," Saeki said, as she was about to leave the room. "Before I forget... The Kazekage is going to visit you later this afternoon. He seems to be specially worried about your condition."

"Wh-what?" Hinata could hardly believe her ears. The cute person from two days ago was going to visit her! She wanted to pinch herself. This was too much. "A-are you sure, Nurse Saeki?"

The older woman nodded. "Positive. Very positive. Doctor Hideki told me so a while ago."

"We-ell..."

"Ah! You probably don't know what to do, right, Hinata-kun?" Nurse Saeki asked, sensing the girl's alarm. "Just be yourself and answer him as correctly as you can when he asks you about something. I'm sure everything will be alright. Well," She proceeded towards the door. "I have to check up on more patients. See you later, Hinata-kun."

"Y-yes..."

As soon as the door closed, Hinata let out a bedraggled sigh. The Kazekage was coming to visit and she had no idea what to do. In addition to this, she was certain she wouldn't be able to answer _all_ of his questions; what with her stuttering and all. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, faster and faster as every tiny second passed. But still, in the midst of all her worrying, a small ray of hope showed itself. She actually felt happy - happier than she had ever been since she woke up in that dreary room. The coming of the Kazekage was like a hidden treasure, filled with gold and all kinds of jewels, and she was the lucky treasure hunter. This was the chance of a lifetime!

"_Yoshi_!" She whispered to herself. "I'll try my best in this!"

Feeling calmer now, Hinata proceeded to fold her blanket neatly.

- - - - -

Five hours later, Hinata found herself sitting on her bed uncomfortably - even though it was pretty softer now than before. The Kazekage, looking grand in a long brownish orange uniform, was standing in front of her. Guards, who stood stiffly in their starch-white clothes, surrounded him. But it was not the sight of the latter that horrified the poor girl; it was the presence of the former. From his dark-lined eyes to his fiery red hair, it seemed as if he was anger personified. She could crumble easily under his unearthly gaze... And she did want to do just that. Disappear.

She was too much aware of the fear growing inside her that she failed to notice that the Kazekage too felt horribly uneasy. Gaara knew that the girl in front of him was from Konoha and that she was a friend of Naruto's, perhaps more than a friend. He had never really gone and talked with the Hyuuga girl but he knew as much as everyone else - that she was easily embarassed whenever Naruto was around and that she was the heir to her clan. But he knew nothing of what she was _now_, after she had forgotten all of those precious memories.

"Kazekage-sama," Dr. Hideki began. "This is Patient No. 327, Hinata Hyuuga."

"You have her records then?" The young leader asked, turning to the doctor.

He sighed. "I'm very sorry to tell you, sir, but we still do not have her records. It is only her name we know."

"How did you come to know her name?"

"Her name was sewed onto the inside of her jacket."

"Give me details about her current condition."

"Yes, sir."

Dr. Hideki began a long discussion filled with medical terms that Hinata wasn't able to understand. She wondered if the Kazekage felt the same. But she was at least relieved. The good doctor was doing the talking. Some of the nervousness she felt sometime ago flowed out of her heart, like a winding river from the high mountains.

"Ah, I see." Gaara turned his unearthly gaze back at her but the question was still directed at the doctor. "Is she healing, at least?"

"Yes, Kazekage-sama. As a matter of fact, she is healing quite quicker than we thought."

"And her amnesia?"

"Ah, well..." Dr. Hideki looked at his notes. "It hasn't improved. There is no sign whatsoever of her remembering anything."

"I see." Gaara gazed at her long and hard. She was pretty sure that she would really disappear now. "Tell me, have you had any dreams lately?"

"Dr-dreams?" Hinata asked. Her mind was whirling. The Kazekage just asked her a question. "I don't... I don't think so... Not that I know o-of..."

"None? What about visions?"

She looked at the ceiling. "I... I think so..."

Gaara gave her a puzzled look. "You think so? What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not... I'm not sure." She blushed tomato-red.

Dr. Hideki smiled at her reassuringly. "Kindly tell us about it, Hinata-kun."

She calmly nodded at the doctor. "Ye-es, Hideki-sensei... I saw a huge wooden house in a... In a place full of gr-grass... There were two people, li-like me. A man and a... A small girl. They were sa-sad and looked at me, as if... As if they wa-wanted me to come to... To them."

"Aah." Gaara averted his gaze to the only window in the dreary room. It seemed as if he was thinking of something he wanted to eat so much. At least, Hinata was inclined to think so with the longing look on his face. "I see."

"Is there anything else you wanted to ask, Kazekage-sama?" Dr. Hideki asked.

"No." He looked at the doctor again. "I will just call for you if I have anymore questions, Hideki-sensei. I suppose Hyuuga-san needs her rest. She looks horribly troubled, to say the least."

_No! Don't go!_ Hinata wanted to shout. _Ask me more! Ask me more questions, Kazekage-sama! Ask me anything and I will answer you gladly!_

"I shall get going now, Hideki-sensei. I don't want to bother you anymore with such trifling questions." Gaara looked at her for a moment and nodded in her direction. "Hurry and get well."

She bowed her head in reverence. "Ye-es... O-of course..."_ But don't go!_

Dr. Hideki bowed also and, with a sweep of his magnificent coat, the Kazekage left.

- - - - -

After performing a few check-ups, the good doctor left also, leaving poor Hinata alone and more depressed than ever. As soon as the doctor was out of the room, she jumped onto her bed and cried her little heart out, although she knew it was useless to do so. In her imagination, everything had been completely different. She and Gaara were all alone in the dreary room but his mere presence illuminated the otherwise grotesque box. They were chatting with no barriers at all, just like old friends. He was smiling and she, too, was doing the same. The conversation was free-flowing, like a long river from the highest heights...

Suddenly, Hinata saw a different image on her mind. She saw the outline of a boy against a bright light. His hair was incredibly spiky and his clothes seemed kind of baggy. Slowly, she seemed to be getting closer to him. Closer. Closer. Closer. She could now distinguish the features of his face, hair, and clothes. The boy was smiling a little awkwardly and his eyes were no more than two horizontal slits on his plump, dough-like face. There were whisker-like lines on his cheeks that gave the impression of a fox. His hair was unkempt and had the color of the yellow daffodils growing on the pot beside her bed. His clothes consisted of an orange jacket and baggy pants with black stripes. When she was near enough to actually feel his breath, the boy suddenly ceased to smile and gazed at her with blue eyes.

"_Hinata..._" He seemed to say in a soft voice. "_Hinata..._"

"_Naruto-kun!_" She shouted but no words came out. It was like a chasing after the wind. "_Naruto-kun!_"

Hinata cringed under his gaze and found herself blushing a rubicund hue. Her heart, she could distinctly feel, was doing flip flops on her chest. Her legs felt weak, as if they were about to fail her... And so they did. The sight of the boy in front of her blurred and gradually darkened. A small cry erupted from her lips and the cold touch of the ceramic floor hit her back.

Slowly, the light grew back again as she sat up and opened her eyes. "Wh-what happened?" She rubbed her eyes. "The... The boy... Is... Is gone... Wh-where did he... Where did he go?"

Puzzled and slightly hurt, Hinata crawled back up to her bed and slept, the previous vision plaguing her weary mind.

- - - - -

"Did you see her expression, Saeki-san?" Dr. Hideki asked in a low voice. "She was spacing out, wasn't she? Please take note of that."

Nurse Saeki jotted down the information on a blank sheet of paper. "Spacing... Out..."

The observation room was a little dark. Only one bulb lit up the walled box. The two medical personnel struggled to see through the blinds.

"She probably saw something she knew in the past. I wonder what it was."

"Dr. Hideki, she blushed just before falling down, didn't she?"

He nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, please, take note of that also."

"And, also, she..." Saeki wrote down the characters quickly. "Screamed out a name. Naruto, I believe it was, Dr. Hideki."

"Uh-huh..." He looked at the nurse beside him with a twinkle in his eye. "You seem to notice the littlest things, Saeki-san. You could be a doctor."

She smiled and shook her head. "Not really, Dr. Hideki. You were just too pre-occupied to see or hear things clearly... Well, doctor, Hinata-kun has been improving quite well, right?"

"Probably. We might see more of these visions in the near future. Please keep a tight watch on her, Nurse Saeki." He bowed his head. "I'm leaving this to you."

She promptly returned the bow. "Yes, Hideki-sensei. I will most certainly do it with the most of my abilities."

- - - - -

**Author's Note:** Oops. Sorry for the late update. I was a tad bit too busy these past days. _Gomenasai~_


	5. Chapter 5

_How..?_ The Kazekage wondered, tapping his pencil in the desk before him. _How am I supposed to get to her? I can never talk with her privately. That's too difficult. But if Dr. Hideki were to sit in the room with us..._

"No. Definitely not." Gaara said out of the blue, shaking his red mane of hair.

Temari turned around from her coffee and looked at her youngest brother with wide, awe-stricken eyes. "Well, Gaara, it seems like you've been taking your paper works rather seriously these days, huh? I just noticed though," She said, handing him his mug of steaming, hot coffee. "You bury yourself in these papers but you don't really get anything done. You don't sign them at all. Is something bothering you?"

"Huh? No, not at all." He replied stoically.

"Really?.. It might just be my imagination then..."

"What was that?"

"That Gaara-kun..." She smiled slyly. "Is not really focused on his work but on something else."

Gaara sneered and looked back at his paper works. "And what would that be?"

"A girl, maybe?" She watched her brother's face like a hawk, trying to see if there were any changes. "Possibly, love?"

"No." He replied with a very straight face and, without looking up from his work, added, "Don't you have things to do?"

"Hmm..." Temari placed her mug on the table. "I don't really have much stuff to do... I got lots of free time."

"Here, then." He said, handing her a sheaf of legal documents. "Distribute these to the council members. They need to get these by evening."

Sulkily, she took them from her brother. "Right. What can I do?"

Temari left the room, grumbling about Gaara's new-found bossiness.

- - - - -

Suna's local hospital had few patients that day. It was utterly next to impossible that this phenomenon could happen but the nurses and doctors were happy. This meant less curses from less than happy patients, less eye bags, and more free time. Everyone took advantage of this event. Some nurses took the day off and went to a spa on a nearby town. Dr. Hideki went home to spend the day with his wife and kids. However, others who took their work rather seriously, stayed in the hospital to watch the remaining patients. Nurse Saeki was among them.

She was happy, though. It seemed as if she had the whole third floor to herself. Plus, rounds were easier to do now since patients were scarce. She would be able to give female patients a _tete-a-tete_ conversation to ease their emotional load...

Just as she was about to take her lunch break, Nurse Saeki passed by Hinata's room. The door was wide open and she could clearly the figure of the girl sitting on her bed, two hands on her chin as if in thinking mode. She went in without knocking and sat down the coarse bed. Gently, she tapped the little girl on the back.

"Hinata-kun? Is something wrong?"

A sigh escaped from the younger's lips. "No-nothing serious, Nurse Saeki."

"You look bothered, to say the least. Is it something you could tell me?"

"I... I'm not sure if... If you would understand..."

"Well, I'm not sure if I could, Hinata-kun, but I think it would be better if you tell somebody your problems. The other person may not understand what you're really saying but at least you let go of some of the emotional strain." She smiled thoughtfully. "Now, tell me, Hinata-kun. What's bothering you?"

"Uh...Umm...I'm not sure..."

"I can keep a secret."

Hinata looked at the nurse with awe-stricken eyes. "Re-really?"

"Uh-huh." She raised her right hand for emphasis. "I won't ever tell. Not even to Dr. Hideki or the other nurses."

"O-okay..." The young girl smiled uneasily. "We-ell... It's a... A boy..." She stopped to see if Nurse Saeki's expression changed, but it didn't. "I... I have a... A crush on a... A boy." Pause. No change in expression. "Well, he... He visited me some... Sometime ago... And we... We could've talked bu-but I... I was sh... Shy be-because there were other people... And he... He seemed... Seemed so in... Indifferent... Like... Like he didn't..." Pause. "Didn't care... And he... He spoke in such... Such a cold... Cold voice... Now, I... I don't know... Don't know wh-what to do... It just... It just hurts inside... I... I thought he... That he... Could ca-care ab... About me... Bu-but no, he never co-could... Never would. I know that now, Nurse Saeki..."

"One-sided love, you mean?" Nurse Saeki said, a twinkle in her eyes. "That's an exciting story you got there, Hinata-kun! I used to read novels like that, but now--" Seeing the look on the patient's face, she shifted back to her serious mode. "That **is** a dilemma, Hinata-kun. Now I really don't know what to say but... Just be your awesome self. I'm sure he'll notice you one of these days. If he already noticed you, maybe he's also in a dilemma of how to talk to you in private, without other people watching. Be yourself, Hinata-kun." She said, squeezing her shoulder hard. "See you around then. I have to take my lunch break now."

Nurse Saeki was just about to go when she noticed that Hinata's had gone very pale. She looked back at the girl and found that her pupils were way whiter than before and that veins were appearing around her eyes. On instinct, she grabbed the girl by the shoulder and shook her violently, willing her to wake up from the trance. Unknowingly, tears were already slipping quickly down her flushed cheeks...

"Hinata-kun! Hinata-kun! Please, wake up already!"

- - - - -

Hinata felt nothing at first. But, gradually, the feeling of the hard earth on her back began to take shape. And the sound of birds' singing startled her. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The sunlight almost blinded her. She smelled the aromatic fragance of different herbs and flowers. The smell of trees was also around her, enveloping her. She started to sit up when it hit her. She was in the middle of a huge forest.

A slender hand suddenly appeared before her. She quickly took it, feeling the strength rush out of her legs. The person, whoever it was, helped her to her feet. A feeling of nausea came into her being that everything around her swirled wildly. For a second, she thought she heard Nurse Saeki but it lasted only for a moment. When she was no longer dizzy and she could see straight, Hinata looked at her helper. It was a woman, tall and slim, with long, curly, black hair. Her eyes were the color of crimson. The young girl felt a strong tug of familiarity towards her but, as far as she knew or could remember, this woman was a total stranger.

"Hinata-kun." The woman said in a kind but authoritative voice. "Hinata-kun."

"Kurenai-sensei..." The name slipped out of her mouth easily like water. She knew not where she got that name but it felt right. "_Sensei_!!!"

Kurenai touched her shoulder. "Everyone is missing you, Hinata-kun. They all want you back."

"Huh? Who are _they_?"

"Friends, Hinata-kun. Your friends."

"But, _sensei_, I--"

A spasm of pain entered her head all of a sudden that she involuntarily knelt down the ground, clutching her head. Kurenai made no move to help her but was looking far away - Hinata did not know where. In addition to the pain, another wave of nausea hit her and she fell helpless on the ground, which was gradually becoming softer and softer and softer...

- - - - -

"Hinata-kun!!!"

The sound of Nurse Saeki's voice brought her back to reality. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The flushed, worry stricken face of the older woman greeted her. "Nu-nurse... Saeki..."

"Hinata-kun!" On instinct, the woman enveloped her into a tight embrace. "You're back! You're awake! Oh, I'm so happy!"

"Aahh..." Hinata touched her head. The pain was gone now. "I... I saw a... A woman..."

"Yes?"

"Very beautiful... She... Her name was..." She tried her hardest to think but somehow the name missed her. "Her name... I..."

"Kurenai-sensei?" Nurse Saeki said in a low whisper. "Kurenai. That's her name, right?"

The young girl nodded. "Yes, but--"

The older woman smiled and tucked her in. "You just need to rest a little bit. Sometimes, the mind plays tricks on us."

Hinata obeyed and quickly lay down on her bed. The thought of the woman slowly escaped her mind as she delved into a deep, deep sleep.

- - - - -

"She remembered more?" Dr. Hideki asked in a low voice. "Are you sure about this?"

"Positive, but for some reason she... She forgets as quickly as she remembers them."

"Ah. I see. You have done well, Nurse Saeki. Thank you for monitoring our precious patient."

"But, Hideki-san, I think we have a bigger problem." She paused and smiled uneasily. "Hinata-kun has feelings for the Kazekage."

- - - - -

**Author's Note:**I'm suffering from writer's block. Gah. Any suggestions, people?


	6. Chapter 6

The next three days that followed held no exciting events at all. There were no more visions, no news on another discussion with the Kazekage, and no new medications. Hinata was very much bored to death with the daily hospital routines. She had nothing to do but sit in bed all day. Sometimes, when she was lucky, Nurse Saeki would bring in some old copies of _Niji_, a book especially printed by the hospital for patients, for her to read or some handwork she failed to finish at home. But this too, wasn't enough. She wanted some kind of entertainment... A dog, maybe? But that was impossible, pets were never allowed inside the hospital, unless someone sneaks them in. But that was probably a bad idea. Nurse Saeki would surely scold anyone who brought in dirty, domesticated critters. Cleanliness was a very important rule in any hospital, after all. Plus, she did not want to trouble anybody with her pleas for entertainment. That was asking too much...

"Saeki-san," Hinata said out of the blue. "Do you have more copies of _Niji_ for me to read? I... I want to do something so badly."

Nurse Saeki straightened herself out from the medicine tray. "I'll check but, if I remember correctly, the past copies were distributed to a charity."

"Any needlework today?"

"Sorry, Hinata-kun, but I don't have anything for you today. Other patients are also complaining of lack of entertainment, too." The kind nurse said, expressing her concern. "Say, you can walk properly now, right? Why don't you try going to the roof sometime? There's lots of air there and some patients go there too. Plus, the scenery's great. This hospital is the tallest building in Suna, too."

"R-roof?" Her expression changed to unease. "Ho... How?"

"Oh, pardon me!" Nurse Saeki said, laughing at herself. "It's not really what you call a roof. I just forgot the term for it, Hinata-kun. Anyway, you'll just have to keep going up the stairs until you reach a door. Open that and you're outside. There are also flowers there although, because of the extreme weather, they are mostly hybrids. You must try going there, Hinata-kun, to release some of the boredom. It's beautiful there, too, especially at night. You can see thousands of tiny lights, like the stars in the heavens, flickering below."

"Ye-yes... I'll probably go... Tonight."

"And, say, the Kazekage goes there, too." She said, amused at the slight blush appearing on Hinata's cheeks. "Well, sometimes. But usually at nice, summer nights like this one. Why, he might even go there tonight!"

"Sa-saeki-san!"

"What is it, Hinata-kun?"

Hinata bowed her head and humbly hugged her legs. "No... Nothing."

- - - - -

The night air was incredibly pleasant. It was filled with the tangy, aromatic smell of various herbs and spices grown only in the desert country of Suna. The hybrid flowers danced with the endless breeze. The lights of the city below shone in beautiful continuity. The people looked like the tiniest of ants. It delighted Hinata to see such beautiful scenery from the top of the tallest building. It was as if a form of tenderness entered her heart at the moment she laid eyes on the panorama of lights. It was simply breath-taking.

"Taking a night stroll, eh?" A strong voice behind her asked. "Good for you, then."

It was surprisingly familiar that it sent chills down her spine. Yes, exactly, she knew very well who it was. "Ka-Kazekage?" The title slipped out rather spontaneously.

"Yes." Was the curt reply.

"I..." She felt her hands shaking and her heart all aquiver. "I never... Ne-never... Thought..."

"Thought that you'd see me here?" Gaara sighed and walked away from the door, towards the steel rails. "I'll be leaving soon anyway."

_Leaving?_ Hinata wanted to ask. But of course, her self-effacement stopped her. It was much to embarrassing to question what he said. It would seem as if she was interested... Wait! Well, isn't she interested? And the look in his eyes when he said that he was leaving... Was it just her, or was he longing for a conversation, too? So, with all her shyness swallowed...

"Wh-where are you going?"

"Hmm?" Gaara looked at her and slightly smiled. "To Konoha. To talk with the Hokage. To return something we found which rightly belongs to them. To, well..." There was a hint of sadness in his usually egotistical voice. "To return you."

Hinata stepped back a little. She could not believe this. Yes, a part of her told her she did not belong to Suna, but that part of her was wholly ignored by her whole being. "Re-return... M-me?"

"Yes. Don't you know?" He leaned on the rails and looked down below at the lit up city. "I believe you realize that now, and it's time for you to go back."

"No!" The one word slipped out of her mouth almost instantly. "I don't want to go back! No, not yet!"

Gaara stared at her. "What? Don't you realize that your family and friends are there? Waiting for you?"

"I... I know but I..." She looked down at the floor and blushed. "I just can't leave... At least... At least not without... Not without telling you... How I... How I really feel."

He shifted his gaze back at the city, concious of his flushed face. "Oh, really?"

"This... Well... I... I don't know how to start, exactly. But I..." She smiled to herself. "I feel... Attached to this place... To... To Suna even if I know that it... It's not my true home... Do you... Kn-know wh-why?"

"No."

Hinata felt silly, confessing as she was to a seemingly unfeeling boy, but she knew it was now or never. The chance may never come again. "Be-because I... I think... I think... I think I..." She lifted her glowing face and said, "I think I like the Kazekage."

- - - - -

**Author's Note: **Thank you, diff-r-ent-1, for your idea! Next chapter will be the last one! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!


	7. Chapter 7

Gaara promptly faced her but the darkness of the night obscured his round face. "Is that so?"

Hinata blushed shame-facedly and turned around, suddenly embarassed of her confession. Was he really that unfeeling? Did her eyes really fool her? Was it just her own fantasy after all? Did she just dream everything up? The glances? The longing? The hidden embarassment? Yes, maybe she did. After all, what use had he for her - a useless and pathetic little girl with the weird, white eyes? She could feel the tears forming on the corners of her eyes and, with all her will, struggled not to weep in the presence of the Kazekage.

"I... I'm going now." She stated rather arrogantly. "I have had enough..."

Her voice trailed away as she headed for the door. This was too much. She had day dreamed most of the time and paid no care to reality - the reality that the Kazekage would never like her back. It was time to change. She would throw away her desires and concentrate on her past. She must return to her homeland healthy and sensible as before. She would go back to her old self and forget everything that ever happened at Suna. It was a bad dream. Yes, that was what it all was. A bad dream. A mere fantasy written by her mind in which her foolish heart believed in.

With one quick motion, Gaara was behind her, holding her arm tightly in a vice grip. Hinata could not shake off his hand, nor could she shake off his poisonous stare with those deep, green eyes of his.

_What now?_ Her mind screamed. _After your stupid reaction, what now?_

"I..." He began, slowly loosening his hold until his hand was once more beside him. "I'm sorry for what I said. It was unintentional."

Hinata nodded.

"I hope you understand."

Nod.

"You're not mad?"

Nod.

"Really?"

Nod.

"I feel the same."

Hinata lifted her gaze and met his eyes. She could not believe what he had just said. He felt exactly the same way as she did. She was not dreaming, after all. The glances and the blushes were meaningful and not vain! Her heart thumped loudly as every second of the realization passed. The fantasy was slowly shaping into reality. There, in the light of the full, silver moon, her dreams were coming true. And she was horribly speechless. It felt as if her mouth had run completely dry and that her throat was burning for unexpainable reasons.

_No!_ She thought to herself. _I must not faint! Not now..._

...For her knees had already begun to feel like jelly as she continued to look into his face. His countenance and presence felt so sacred to her, like he was a god in all his wondrous splendor. His gaze never wavered, not even when she blushed a deep, dark crimson. Not a feature of his face changed as he stared at her. Slowly, he lifted his right hand and gently stroked her pale cheek. She shivered a little at the motion but kept her ground. Then, ever more tenderly, he raised her chin up and softly brought his lips to hers. Hinata was, at first, surprised at the bold move. She had never been kissed, not once, and the flood of mixed emotions of delight and wonder overwhelmed her that her knees almost buckled. Thankfully, the cold wall was behind her and it provided her with support.

The kiss lasted but a moment and Gaara withdrew, turning round and blushing at his boldness. Hinata bit her lip and was shuddering in the summer air. No one said anything for a moment.

"You better go." He finally said. "Go and make preparations for your return to Konoha."

"You just..." She sighed as the tears ran down her face. "You just made it hard for me to go."

Gaara walked away and back to the rails. "I know..." He whispered to the night wind. "I know..."

- - - - -

Saeki tucked in the last of Hinata's belongings on the woolen bag. She wiped the sweat on her brow, for the day was extremely hot, and smiled contentedly at Hinata. "My, my, Hinata-kun! There isn't much to pack, is there? Well, we're done and it took us only ten minutes."

Hinata smiled back at the nurse. "Yes. Thank you, Nurse Saeki."

She inspected the young girl's clothes. "They fit you well, huh? I used to wear them when I was your age."

"It's really pretty." Hinata smoothed out the wrinkles of the silk-like cloth, obviously not to be worn on a country like Suna. It was far too fancy for sand and wind.

"You can keep it." Nurse Saeki watched as the girl's face grew animated with delight and wonder. The dress was becoming to her and would be better to wear in a nice grassy country. "I have to go now. I have rounds to make."

"Okay."

As soon as the nurse left, Hinata buried her face in her pillow and cried bitter tears. She was too attached to leave. She was sure that she could never be the same again. She would miss everyone: Nurse Saeki, Dr. Hideki, the patients, the visitors, the hot summer sun, and, most especially, the Kazekage. She never told anyone about it, not even kind Saeki, but she hoped. Really hard. After that night, she kept wondering if it would somehow happen again. Perhaps some magic would bring them together under the moonlit sky again. She went to the rooftop every night, hoping that he would show up and ease her little fears, but he didn't. His siblings said he was far away on business. He had absolutely no time for a petty discussion. But she knew in her heart that what he said that night was sincere and that it came from his heart.

Hinata was too busy wallowing in her own sorrow that she failed to hear the steps of someone coming in. Only until he slowly lifted her up from her sheets did she notice. It was the Kazekage. It was Gaara. In the heat of the moment, she flung up her arms and cried at his neck, making his shirt damp with tears. He did not struggle nor turn her away. He was aware of how she longed to do that for a long time, and how, also, he longed for that moment. They stayed in that position for a long time, until Hinata's eyes dried out and there was nothing to squeeze out. She withdrew and blushed at her impulsiveness.

"It's okay." He said in a slightly softer tone. "You don't have to be embarassed."

"Why... Why did you come here?"

"I just wanted to bid you farewell."

"You make it hard for me."

"I know. It's hard for me, too."

"So... It's goodbye then?"

"Yes, but, before you go..." He took out a small yellow flower from his vest pocket and tucked it on her bag. "It's the blossom of a cactus. They're quite rare and highly valuable. I saw one today and it reminded me of you so I wanted to give it to you, as a parting present."

Hinata looked at the flower and caressed its golden petals. "Why?"

"Because, this flower, among the wide desert, is the most beautiful thing." He blushed at the foolish romanticism in his words and stood up to leave. "That is all. Farewell. May luck be with you."

Hinata smiled delightedly as she touched the flower and pinned it on her dress.

- - - - -

As the journey continued and the sands of Suna disapearred behind the merchant's caravan, Hinata slept comfortably underneath the thick, wooly blanket. She was dreaming of Konoha and her family. They were happy to see her back, even her usually cruel father. They welcomed her with wide, open hands and embraced her one by one...

The wagon lurched a little as one of the wheels hit a small pebble. Hinata woke up with a start and noticed that Suna was well behind them now. She panicked a little at the sadness in her heart. There was a tearful goodbye and lots of hugs and wan smiles. Gaara was not there to see her off but that was alright. It pained her terribly to see him standing there, knowing that she would be far away from his unfeeling glances and cold hands.

Her hand slightly touched the little, yellow flower on her dress. She smiled and knew that, somehow, there was a tiny blaze of hope. Gaara was one who would never forget. Yes, her memory inside his little heart would always be kept. Forever and always...

- - - - -

**Author's Note: **An abrupt ending, I must say. I'll edit it someday, though. Thanks to everyone!


End file.
